2012 Kia Soul Driver assistance Problems

I bought the car 2 yrs ago come April and it's had nothing but issues. I've had one recall did which was the knock sensor however now the check engine is on and it's smelling like rubber my brakes are wearing like an eraser and my engine just feels sluggish. The code is p0420 which from what I understand is a catlic converter and I read online there is a recall for that with kia . I've spent a lot more than what I paid for the car not even 2 yrs ago and every place i take it has a new opinion and none of those have any connections with the code so I need help

NHTSA ID

11702167

Incident

Oct 26, 2025

Was stalling, would loose power, now will not start. Found a recall ( engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: catalytic converter # 19v120000.) same problems. Towed to local kia, they say not under recall list. This recall is only for engine size 1.6. My engine is a 2.0. But they said catalytic converter needs replaced. Although car is aged only has about 55,000 miles. Catalytic converter should not be an issue. I believe the 2.0 engine needs to be added to the recall list.

NHTSA ID

11639106

Incident

Jan 16, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the contact attempted to accelerate; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH before inadvertently decelerating to 20 MPH. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

NHTSA ID

11585871

Incident

Apr 25, 2024

Mileage

106,000 mi

So I purchased a 2012 Kia Soul A few months ago and since I got it the car has been having issues with accelerating the car delays to respond and I have had many closed calls specifically when entering a freeway the car losses power and I have to really press on the pedal for the vehicle to respond then the check engine light started to come on showing Code P0420 Catalyst operating below minimum threshold. I looked up online and all Kia souls starting from 2012 have a recall regarding the Catalyst converter and because of the issue my vehicle is having a weird rattling or knocking sound on the engine I looked up online and this is what I found Kia Motors America (Kia) is voluntarily recalling 2012–2016 Kia Soul vehicles with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines due to high exhaust gas temperatures that may damage the catalytic converter. This could cause abnormal engine combustion, damage to pistons, and possibly failed piston connecting rod. Recall consequence Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire. So at this point I’m not felling safe driving this vehicle anymore and I need my vehicle because I need it for work and to move my family around and the worst thing is that all this is cutting back on my income because I purchased this car for Uber & Lyft rides but I can’t do it I wouldn’t want to put other peoples life in danger knowing that the vehicle isn’t responding like it’s supposed to so please I need assistance or guidance on what to do to get this situation resolved as soon as possible because I wasted all muy funds purchasing this vehicle and at this point I can’t afford to pay someone to make any repairs my own vehicle pls don’t disregard my situation I’m out of options at this point thank you and have a great day Date 04-11-24 Sincerely [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF IN

NHTSA ID

11582500

Incident

Apr 2, 2024

The series of events leading to my theory of what is wrong with my 2012 Kia Soul: 1. Steering coupler replacement in March of 2021 left my steering wheel sideways instead of straight, air bag light remains on, and traction control light as well. The after-market (I assume) cruise control is automatically on when car is started. Must turn off manually. 2. U-joint connecting to steering column fell onto my feet while driving in December of 2021. I slid it back on, but it slipped off approximately 4 more times in the next month before it was strongly secured. 3. Alignment performed in February 2022. Approximately 2 weeks after the alignment, my car started stuttering, if you will, prior to shifting into third gear. Then, again, prior to each shift into the higher gears. It stalled a few times in response to this action. While accelerating, the car begins to jerk severely, as if the brakes are being pumped. It doesn't do this immediately, but only begins once it's warmed up. Several sensors have been replaced. Fuel filter replaced. It's a standard, but the transmission was replaced after I purchased it in 2018. After hooking up to the code scanner at the parts store, the Steering Tilt Sensor is the code shown. My theory is this: When the steering coupler was replaced leaving my steering wheel in the turned position, and then aligning it with it in the wrong position, that threw the tilt code. Maybe it's jerking because it thinks I'm turning when I'm not, and it could possibly be engaging the abs to slow me down while it thinks I'm turning. Would I be wrong in assuming that if I get the steering wheel straightened, get another alignment, and clear the steering tilt sensor, my car will act normal again? I am uncertain what system or part failed, but it is definitely available to be inspected. I could have died when the u-joint fell off if I hadn't been almost to a stop sign every time. The problem continues, but has not been addressed or confirmed by a dealer.

NHTSA ID

11515984

Incident

Feb 24, 2022

I had my Kia in the shop for 2 months from August 22, 2022 until about the middle of October because it went into limp mode and they were waiting on Kia consumer to ok a new engine because the dealership heard a knock. I was originally told my Kia had a lifetime warranty on the motor but when it went into limp mode with 156.044 miles on it they then said 150,000 mile warranty so I had to pay out of pocket to have the part fixed. I’ve have my car back less than a month haven’t even put a 1,000 miles on it and it’s went right back into limp mode in the middle of a four lane. Almost got rear ended because the speed bogged down to below 45mph. It’s throwing the same code as it didn’t previously.

NHTSA ID

11493308

Incident

Nov 12, 2022

Car started ticking, small repair shop told me it was engine lifters, I paid $2000 to replace them. After replacing the engine lifters the mechanic said it would be quite and stop making the ticking noise on idle and acceleration. However 5 months later it was still ticking, low power, brought it back in and they said I need to replace the engine lock block. This mechanical defect is a recall on my vehicles make model and year however it’s VIN is not under the recall. Car will stall, doesn’t want to accelerate quickly, will shake, and tap, or tick noise from the engine at start, and the entire time car is running, th ticking increases when I accelerate.

NHTSA ID

11487757

Incident

Oct 1, 2021

Any time I apply the brakes while simultaneously hitting a bump, speed bump, etc, the brakes seems to loose power and the brakes seem to go to the floor. It's frightening! I have mentioned it to the KIA Dealer but they've not been able to identify the issue.

NHTSA ID

11477169

Incident

Aug 2, 2022

Popping in steering when turning back and forth. Cruise and radio quit working.

NHTSA ID

11477031

Incident

Jul 22, 2022

MY 2012 KIA SOUL POWER STEERING IS ALMOST LOCK IT IS VERY HARD TO TURN

NHTSA ID

11373603

Incident

Nov 6, 2020

I JUST BOUGHT MY CAR IN APRIL AND WITH REGISTRATION PAPERS I RECEIVED RECALL PAPERS STATING 2 RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS LEGAL TO SELL VEHICLE WITHOUT HAVING IT FIXED.?? NEXT I. TAKE MY VEHICLE TO KIA DEALER ON MONDAY AUGUST 3 TO FIX RECALLS THEY.SAID.NO CODES SHOW.. I DRIVE HOME 45 MINI AWAY. CAR DIES. INEXT MORNING.IT.DIES.AGAIN WONT START.. I LOOKS UNDER THE HOOD AND THERE.IS A.WIRE BURING THROUGH MY FUS BOX WHICH WAS NOT THERE BEFORE AND NOW I HAVE NO.POWER TO MY VEHICLE AND SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT I KNOW THAT WIRE WASN'T THERE BEFORE.

NHTSA ID

11344118

Incident

Aug 3, 2020

Mileage

112,000 mi

ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO MY CAR DIED AT A STOPLIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME. ALL ALONG THERE IS NO INDICATOR LIGHTS. THEN DIED WHILE DRIVING 3 DAYS LATER AT 35 MPH. I WENT TO AN AUTO ZONE TO GET A CHECK ON ITS COMPUTER BUT THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING DUE TO THE CORONA VIRUS. DROVE IT A FEW DAYS , IT DIED AGAIN AT THE STOPLIGHT. IT BEGAN TO DO THIS EVERY FEW DAYS .NO INDICATION WHEN IT WOULD SHUT OFF AND NO INDICATOR LIGHTS. I CALLED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND THERE WASN'T, I ALSO CHECKED ONLINE.WHEN IT DIED I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT JUST OFF THE ROAD OR AT BUSY INTERSECTIONS FOR A FEW MINUTES AND KEEP TRYING. THEN AFTER A FEW TIMES I STARTED NOTICING IT WOULD DIE AT THE INTERSECTION AND THEN MY RPM INDICATOR WOULD NOT WORK THEN THE CAR WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING ,I WOULD FIGHT WITH IT TO START OR IT WOULD START NORMALLY AND EVERYTHING WORKED FOR A WHILE AGAIN. I CALLED THE DEALER MADE AN APPOINTMENT, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG BUT ONE MECHANIC ASKED WHAT YEAR THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON OTHER VEHICLES..TODAY JUNE 5TH WHEN I WAS STUCK AT AN INTERSECTION I USED MY PHONE TO RECORD THAT IT STARTED AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND THEN WHEN I DROVE IT I HAD TO FLOOR THE GAS AND THE RPM INDICATOR WASN'T WORKING AT ALL. THEN I WAS DRIVING FINALLY GOT IT TO SPEED AND IT DIED IN THE ROAD AT 55 WHILE DRIVING LUCKILY I COASTED OFF THE ROAD .AFTER A MINUTE I TAPED WHERE I WAS, HOW THE CAR WAS PULLED OFF CROOKED AND THEN IT STARTED NORMALLY, NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ,RPM WORKED AND I GOT HOME. THE CAR DEALER SAID HE PROBABLY KNEW WHAT IT WAS DUE TO THE OTHER RECALLS BUT IT WOULD BE EXPENSIVE. I CANNOT AFFORD A REPAIR DON'T WANT TO DIE EITHER. IF OTHER CARS WERE RECALLED MINE NEEDS TO BE. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I AM IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE MY CAR JUST DIES WHENEVER IT WANTS TO. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO UPLOAD OFF MY PHONE BUT WILL GLADLY HAVE SOMEONE DO IT SOON TO REPORT IT AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

11327448

Incident

Jun 5, 2020

Mileage

150,214 mi

HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE

NHTSA ID

11301769

Incident

Jan 15, 2019

Mileage

119,300 mi

CAR WAS GREAT UNTIL IT REACHED THE 100000 MILE MARK. THEN IT LOSES ALL POWER AND DIES WHILE GOING 65 TO 70 MPH ON FREEWAY! IT IS GOING TO GET ME KILLED! WHEN HAPPENS, THE RPM GAUGE QUICKLY PLUMMETS TO ZERO AND REMAINS THERE AT ZERO AFTER I GET IT RESTARTED. AFTER IT SITS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES IT STARTS FINE WITH THE RPM GAUGE GIVING AN ACTUAL READING. THIS IS HAPPENING ABOUT 3 TIMES IN A 25 MILE SPAN!

NHTSA ID

11187504

Incident

Dec 1, 2018

Mileage

1,000,480 mi

WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESS WAY BEHIND A SEMI. WHEN THE SEMI GOT OVER IN THE RIGHT LANE I ACCELERATED AND HERD A LOUD BANG AND DARK SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM MY ENGINE. IT SMELLED OFTEN AND IMPAIRED MY VISION. SEVERAL OF MY CAUSATION LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND I WAS STUCK AT 60 MPH MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND STOPPED WORKING. I GOT OVER IN THE RIGHT LANE SAFELY AND COASTED FOR ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF TO THE NEAREST EXIT. SOMETHING TOLD ME DO NOT PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKES OR YOU WILL BE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE. AS I GOT OF THE EXIT I STARTED TO BRAKE AND MY CAR STOPPED AND DIED.OIL WAS LEAKING OUT AND NOTHING WAS WORKING. I HAD TO GET PEOPLE TO PUSH ME OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND GET A TOW TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME I HAD CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. SO MY ENGINE FAILED ME AND I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I DID RESEARCH AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY KIA'S WITH RECALL AND VERY SIMILAR SITUATIONS AS MINE BUT NOT WITH MY MODEL CAR. I AM SURE THIS IS A MANUFACTURES ERROR AND I PRAY KIA DOES A RECALL TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S LIVES. *JS *JS

NHTSA ID

11096613

Incident

May 14, 2018

Mileage

81,000 mi

DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON AND CAR WOULDN'T START. HAD CAR TOWED TO KIA OF BOWIE MD., WHO DID A DIAGNOSTIC AND REPLACED ELECTRICAL PANEL WHICH COST ESTIMATED $200.00 DOLLARS INCLUDING DIAGNOSTIC. KIA OF BOWIE NEVER CALLED AND WHEN I FINALLY CONTACTED SOMEONE A WEEK LATER, THEY STATED THE STEERING COLUMN WAS OUT AND WOULD COST APPROXIMATE $2000.00 AND THAT'S THE PART. CAR HAS ONLY 70.000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11048716

Incident

Nov 5, 2017

THE COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR THE RADIO HAD A SERVICE ADVISORY INSTEAD OF A RECALL, SO I WASN'T NOTIFIED BY MAIL. BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT IN ADDITION TO THE RADIO, IT AFFECTS THE BACKUP CAMERA AND EVENTUALLY THE DASHBOARD, MAKING BOTH OF THEM INOPERABLE. THE REPAIRMEN AT FORD KIA IN RICHMOND, CA TRIED TO PLAY THIS OFF LIKE IT'S NOT A SERIOUS PROBLEM. BUT IF THE DASHBOARD CONTROLS ARE USELESS WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, AND YOU NEED TO TRY AND PULL OVER TO RESTART THE CAR, THAT IS A PROBLEM WAITING TO HAPPEN. UPDATED 10/05/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10579302

Incident

Feb 11, 2014

Mileage

14,700 mi

THIS IS A RECURRING ISSUE WHICH KIA CAN'T IDENTIFY OR TROUBLESHOOT. IT HAS BEEN IN THE KIA GARAGE HALF A DOZEN TIMES AND STILL HASN'T BEEN FIXED. THE ISSUE HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS INITIALLY STARTED. THE STATUS LIGHTS IN THE DASH ALL LIGHT UP AND GO OUT ONE BY ONE WHEN SYSTEMS ARE CONFIRMED GOOD, EXCEPT THE ELECTRONIC ASSIST STEERING AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS STAY LIT. THE ELECTRONIC ASSIST POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK AS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE WHEEL EVEN IF THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO GEAR AND DRIVEN FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. YOU HAVE TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE TO RESET EVERYTHING AND THEN IT IS FINE. KIA WAS CALLED OUT TO A PARKING LOT AT ONE POINT WHILE THE SYSTEMS FAILED AND THEY HOOKED UP THEIR DIAGNOSTICS TO THE PORT AND WERE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE VEHICLES COMPUTER SYSTEM IN ORDER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO TRACK THIS ISSUE AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE UNTIL THE SYSTEM TOTALLY FAILS AND REFUSES TO RESET. DIAGNOSTICS DOES NOT PICKUP THE ERROR WHEN IT OCCURS AND THE VEHICLES INTERNAL COMPUTER DOES NOT REGISTER THE FAILURE EITHER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10575310

Incident

Jul 11, 2012

Mileage

4,000 mi

OPERATIONAL WARNING LIGHTS FOR BRAKES-STABILITY CONTROL-ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. I HAVE RETURNED TO DEALER 3 TIMES AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX. THIS CREATES A SAFETY CONCERN.I.E. DO THESE SYSTEMS FUNCTION AS REQUIRED WHEN DRIVING CONDITIONS PRESENT THEMSELVES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10454467

Incident

Feb 28, 2012

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW KIA SOUL IN NOV OF 2011. WITHIN 200 MILES OF OWNERSHIP, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL MALFUNCTION AND FALSELY ACTIVATED. THE ESC NOT ONLY FALSELY ACTIVATED BUT REMAINED ACTIVATED. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED UP AND COULD ONLY BE TURNED IF CONSIDERABLE FORCE WAS APPLIED TO IT. I CAREFULLY PULLED OVER THE TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED OFF MY VEHICLE THEN STARTED IT BACK UP HOPING THE ESC WOULD TURN OFF. IT DID NOT. I ENDED UP HAVING TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY DEALER. THE KIA DEALER SERVICE SHOP ULTIMATELY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO "FIX" THE PROBLEM. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND ATTEMPTED TO DO A LANE CHANGE. AGAIN THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL FALSELY ACTIVATED AND CAUSED ME TO COLLIDE WITH THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN THE ESC ACTIVATED, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND CAUSED A SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN THE ACCIDENT. THESE ARE JUST 2 OF MANY INCIDENTS I HAVE EXPERIENCED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10450518

Incident

Mar 6, 2012

Mileage

200 mi